NEW MELBOURNE PROJECT TO BLEND PASSIVE HOUSE AND CLT

AUSTRALIA’S FIRST MULTI-STOREY MIXED USE BUILDING COMBINING A PASSIVE HOUSE METHODOLOGY AND CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER (CLT) IS PLANNED FOR CONSTRUCTION IN THE INNER MELBOURNE SUBURB OF ABBOTSFORD.

The 329 Johnston St project is unfolding under the auspices of developer and construction company Pirovich, which has proposed a building ranging in height from six to nine storeys.

The project, to be designed by Fieldwork, the sister company of small-footprint developer Assemble, combines a ground floor of retail and a medical centre, two storeys of commercial office tenancies, and serviced apartments ranging from one bedroom to three bedroom apartments and four duplexes.

There will also be three levels of basement parking that will provide 157 car spaces (48 for residents), and 70 resident bike spaces on the ground level, and an additional 22 public and visitor bike spaces.

Development manager Ashley Pirovich reportedly indicated the advantages of using CLT for both the developer and builder included speed of construction, improved site safety and less need for onsite labour and minimal noise and disruption.

The NCC 2016 change that allowed construction with timbers including CLT to 25 metres as a Deemed To Satisfy solution requires that any structural timber be encapsulated, such as by adding a layer of fire-resistant plasterboard.

The project, however, is taking the Performance Pathway, so is in a position to ensure the fire engineering solution allows it to leave timber exposed.

The Passive House approach had been adopted to go above and beyond BCA [Building Code of Australia] compliance and Green Star rating and to demonstrate to the market that it can be done, Pirovich said the lack of an ongoing need to pay for a large degree of heating or cooling once tenants have been educated in how to operate the building is expected to be a real incentive for buyers.

The project will also utilise rooftop solar for part of the overall building energy use.■